Shoe-cleaning guard



Aug. 28, 1923. EAfifififiE I D. SEALS SHOE CLEANING GUARD Filed June 17. 1921 Wat 555 flaw/s seas INVEN TOR.

Patented 2555, i923,

UNHTEYD) IDEDENJIS SEATS, 0.? EVANSTON, WYOMING.

QHOE-CLEANTNG- GUARD.

Application filed June 17, 1921. Serial No. 478,427.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DENNIS Snaps, citizen of the United States, residing, at lEvanston,

in the county of Uint-a and State of lVyoming, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Shoe-Cleaning Guards, of which the following is a specification;

T he invention has reference to a shield adapted to be worn for protecting hosiery when polishing shoes, the shield being insertable in between the shoe and foot and encircling the latter on all sides.

A further object is to provide protecting means of the character above noted which is adapted to be readily applied or removed without-inconvenience or occasioning personal discomfort, the shield being insertable in place without requiring the removal of the shoe.

With the above and other objects in view the invention may be. said to reside generally in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and disclosed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein,

Figure 1, is a View" disclosing the method of using one type ofthe invention; Figure 2, is a view of the invention as seen from the front; Figure 3 an enlarged perspective view of the shield disclosed in the two preceding figures; Figure l, is a view disclosing the use of a modified type of the invention; and Figure 5, a detailed perspective view on an enlarged scale of the modified type of shields.

The invention consists of a strip of celluloid, or other materials suitable for the purpose in view, which is folded to provide a cuff-like shield or protector designed to be fitted to the foot as a safeguard against soiling the hose when cleaning and polishing a shoe.

The type illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings is designed for use in connection with foot-wear having low vamp, such as pumps, and is accordingly provided with v side portions 2 and 3 of a preciable length and greater in width at t e front than at the rear. At the front end the cuff is provided with a curved portion 4. sloping downwardly and forwardly of the cufi adjacent the bottom edge to provide a toe 5; the curved portion 4 being designed to conform to the instep of the foot. The lower edge of sides 2 and v3 extend in a curve from the toe 5 to the heel 6, asiindicated at 7, in order to give the proper shape and slope to the protector. When the device is being placed 'in position, toe 5 is first inserted between the vamp 8 of a shoe such as'illustrated in Figure 1 and the foot of a person. The sides of the protector are pressed about the foot with their lbwer edges overlapped by the shoe as indicated at 9; the protector being securely held in place by fastening the sides together at the back of the foot, any suitable fastening means 10, such as buttons and clasps, being employed for the purpose. As shown, fastening means of the glove clasp type has been utilized and it is preferred toprovide a plurality of female portions 11 thereof secured to the inner face of the side portion 2 and a single inserting male portion 12 secured to the other side 3. The female portions 11 are disposed in spaced relation and extend from the rear edge of the side 2 inwardly toward the front portions. lit is obvious that the male portion 12 can be placed in any one of the female portions 11,

thereby effectively adjusting the size-of the guard or shield to a foot of the user.

The type illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 is designed to be used with Oxfords or low shoes and is similar to the type above described, with the exception that the instep portion 4' is of less curvature and extends from the upper to the-lower edges of the protector Without the intervention of any forwardly projecting toe portion such as is embodied in the shape of the protector illustrated in Figure 3. The provision of such a toe portion is unnecessary with the second type as the latter is engaged by the upper portion of a shoe rather than a vamp thereof and can be readily positioned in place about the foot by merely unlacing the shoe and arranging the protector as shown in Figure 4. The sides of protector 1 are provided with rounded heels 6 as shown, to provide sufficient clearance for the heel of the shoe in which the protector is inserted, as indicated at 9' in Figure 4:, suitable fastening elements 10 being located at corresponding corners of sides 2 and 3 as illustrated so that the protector may be fastened to a comfortably tight fit with the foot.

-When the protector is properly positioned, it encircles the foot in such a manner that no polishing grease or liquid can soil the hoisery of the wearer during the polish ing ofthe shoe, while at the same time it allows all parts of the shoe-t0 be completely and thoroughly cleaned and polished. llhe protector is insertable in position without necessitating the removal of the shoe as ordinarily there is sufficient space between a shoe and the foot therein to 'allow' for the insertion of the protector Without causing any discomfort.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings have reference to What might be considered to be the approved or preferred form of my invention. ll desire it to be understood, however, that I may make such changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, materials, dimensions, et cetera, as may prove Meepee I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters'Patent is w A shield for use in polishing shoes com prising a flexible body including an arcuate instep engaging front portion and rear- Wardly extending side portions, the rear ends of the side portions being adapted toextend rearwardly of the foot of the user, and adjustable means for connecting the rearends of the side portions together including a plurality of equidistantly spaced female portions carried by one side portion of the body and a single inserting male por- .tion carried by the other side portion of the body adapted to be inserted in any one of the female portions.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

in presence of two witnesses.

DENNIS SEALS.

Witnesses: A

L. R. GRAIN, M. M. Emerson. 

